Greetings, and welcome to the Spring 2013 edition of the WRTC Alumni Newsletter. This season, the writing team has created a collection of feature and spotlight stories based on the idea of the interdisciplinary aspects of the WRTC major.

Though the WRTC program focuses intently on writing and rhetoric, the technical communication side of the program has allowed graduates to break into new and trending job markets. The growing application of writing, rhetoric and technical communication to all different types of jobs has not gone unnoticed, and neither have those who are taking advantage.

Alumni such as James Vogric (’12) and Martin Peterson (’05) for example, have used their degrees to become a Human Resource Development Strategist (Spotlight: James Vogric) and even an Infrastructure Technician (Mastering the Field). Some past graduates, like David Marone (’01), have taken completely different career paths and living locations. Marone currently works as a Foreign Areas Officer for the Pentagon (WRTC + ROTC = Over “C’s”). Similarly, graduates such as Chad McCoull (’08), have also taken their degrees overseas to places such as Burkina Faso (Where in the World is WRTC?).

In addition, social media platforms such as LinkedIn (Has LinkedIn Worked Out?) and JMU’s own Lexia Database (Lexia: The New e-Vision) have empowered individuals to enhance the quality and breadth of their professional networks, as well as have writing samples and documents professionally published.

Finally, the WRTC program has even seen the interdisciplinary aspects of its professors. Dr. Mark Thomas shows off his favorite hobby, and how he ties it back to writing (Writing, Rhetoric and Racing?).

Read on to catch up on old friends and learn something new. Be sure to check out our updated Facebook page, as well as our new LinkedIn and Twitter social media sites. Happy writing!

For some young professionals, it can be challenging to decide which career path to take, what options to consider and where to place yourself in order to be stable and enjoy what you do.

On the other hand, some have a vision and direction for where they want to go and what they want to do.

James Vogric (’12)

“I went through my time at JMU hoping to find myself in a recruitment position,” said recent Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communications graduate James Vogric (’12) of working in the field of Human Resources Development.

With degrees in both WRTC and Human Resources Development (HRD), Vogric had always had a vision for working with people in an environment where his skill set could shine through. After an internship with the Northrop Grumman Corporation, Vogric saw an opportunity for his expertise to take shape in a way he would truly enjoy.

“After Northrop Grumman, I spent the remainder of my time in WRTC working toward my goal of becoming a strategist in recruiting and turnover,” Vogric explained. “HRD was a way for me to gain the technical jargon and expertise I needed to achieve this.”

The 23-year-old Stony Brook, New York, native currently works for the company eAdvantage in the Quality Assurance and Human Capital Strategies department out of Rockville, Maryland. Vogric’s tasks have included conducting quality assurance audits, recruiting efforts for a rapidly growing eAdvantage company through JMU and the development of eAdvantage’s employee handbook.

And although WRTC and HRD are not interdisciplinary in the more traditional sense, for cases such as Vogric’s, these fields make the ideal match.

“WRTC encouraged me to build my resume through internship experience as part of the major requirement for graduation,” said Vogric. “It is important when transitioning into the business world to have a background working for various companies, and the WRTC program was a platform in order for me to do just that.”

As a young professional in the workforce, Vogric has already noticed this advantage.

“Working for multiple companies has allowed organizations to recognize me as an asset to their company based off of my past success,” stated Vogric, “I realized early on that WRTC is a broad major, and that I was able to use my knowledge in a variety of pursuits, thereby working for multiple entities and diversifying my resume.”

If you could be a member of the same network as executives from all 2012 Fortune 500 companies, would you seize the chance? Millions of students and graduates already have by “linking in” to the professional networking site, LinkedIn.

Launched in 2003 in the United States, LinkedIn has grown into the largest professional networking site in the world. One benefit of LinkedIn is its reach across countries and global companies, over 200 countries and 2.7 million companies in fact. The site is available in 19 languages to accommodate its international growth. According to LinkedIn’s Press Center, 64% of members are actually outside of the United States, which is good for professionals and students looking to connect abroad.

However, its use in the United States is notable as well. The Pew Research Center reports that 20% of online American adults are on LinkedIn, which is more than those on Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Instagram.

A number of Writing, Rhetoric, & Technical Communication (WRTC) Alumni are included in the LinkedIn community. Many use the website and are connecting with professionals everyday. However, some alumni have found the site not to be useful at all and have even deleted their profiles. One alumni reported that he has actually had better success making connections through Twitter, another social networking site. The WRTC department has recently created a Twitter account as well, which can be found at @wrtcalumni.

So exactly how helpful or beneficial is LinkedIn? Users say that simply having a profile may not be beneficial. Rather, how members use the site is a leading factor behind its effectiveness. LinkedIn provides several media resources for employers and companies to market, hire, sell, blog, and advertise. Likewise, many companies have their own company pages for members to subscribe to information, including job alerts, company news, and recommendations. On a networking site with nearly two new members per second, simply being a member is not enough. Users and companies must actively market themselves to get the most out of LinkedIn.

One such advantage from being active on LinkedIn is learning about potential employers. Knowing about the values, identity, and reputation of a company before applying for a position or interviewing can set you apart from competitors. Company research on LinkedIn can also give insight into what current employees think of the company or how their hiring process works.

The value of a LinkedIn account appears to be in control of the member. The Writing, Rhetoric, & Technical Communication Department at James Madison University has decided to take control in the online networking world by creating its own LinkedIn group just for graduates, “WRTC Alumni.” Alumni are welcome to link up with other graduates and make the group a part of their connections on LinkedIn.

West Africa is typically not the first place students think about taking their skills after graduation, but alumni Chad McCoull (’08) recognized that his expertise would be valued there. McCoull decided to travel to the developing country of Burkina Faso where he worked as a Peace Corps volunteer for two years with his wife.

Burkina Faso

“I worked with a Fairtrade union of 650 mango and cashew farmers who dry their products and export them to Northern Europe,” McCoull explained. “We corresponded with partners in markets, made a website, wrote up a five-year investment plan for village infrastructure, visited fairs and made publicity.”

McCoull graduated from James Madison University’s former Institute of Technical and Scientific Communication (ITSC) in 2008 with a minor in Writing and Rhetoric. McCoull noted that this major was an invaluable asset to his business in Burkina Faso.

“Some of the basic philosophies of rhetoric have helped me in an intangible way to get the most out of work conversations with locals as well as persuasive writing for grants,” said McCoull on how W&R and ITSC applied to his volunteer work. “Grant writing was especially key to getting projects funded and helping locals apply for opportunities such as financial support from embassies.”

McCoull specifically pointed out the usefulness of technical communication in an area lacking in much formal technical education.

McCoull reports, “As for how technical communication helped, you wouldn’t believe the public demand for learning basic computer skills. I helped locals make websites, design informational pamphlets, and print publicity and labels.”

Despite being equipped with communication skills, McCoull still found language differences, education levels and illiteracy in the region to be challenging obstacles. However, he was amazed at locals’ ways at overcoming these education barriers by using diverse and creative methods of communicating.

“I became friends with a middle-aged man who had a high school education and had for decades been writing phenomenally educational plays,” describes McCoull. “His characters were relatable and stories compelling enough to inspire audience members to change their lifestyles by learning to use condoms, using family planning methods, etc.”

McCoull admired the man’s enthusiasm for using his own unique skill set to educate others.

“Though he’s stuck in poverty,” said McCoull, “his rhetorical communication abilities are as strong as anyone I’ve ever known.”

Feel free to post where WRTC has taken you and we’ll add it to our map below!

Martin Peterson (’05)

“I think we should make it a surprise to those around us about how handy our skills can be,” said James Madison University (JMU) Alumni Martin Peterson (’05).

Peterson, a graduate of the former Technical and Scientific Communication Department, conveyed these words about the often misunderstood skills of Writing, Rhetoric, & Technical Communication. Exactly what studies the WRTC subject applies to is a common confusion associated with the major.

Peterson stated that “WRTC knowledge is useful in a variety of situations – for me, these are great skills that range from the ability to document the installation/configuration of new hardware at a large manufacturing site to being able to find the problem with my mother-in-law’s washer.”

Although he acknowledges the applicability of WRTC across various fields, Peterson, along with many other WRTC graduates, decided to hone in on a certain area of WRTC during graduate school, particularly the technical side of WRTC. Peterson obtained a Master of Science in Technical and Scientific Communication from James Madison University in 2005 and now works as an Infrastructure Technician.

“I provide software/hardware problem resolution for our hardware and our end users,” described Peterson. “I provide support for the design, procurement, installation and configuration of all Information Technology infrastructure and ensure that it functions efficiently within the particular site’s existing infrastructure.”

Peterson explained how his graduate school experience affected his career.

“I actively use the skills I gained from my studies in WRTC every day,” said Peterson. “In my field, the ability to convey technical information is extremely important and dependent upon my audience.”

Thomas Carpenter (’07)

However, choosing to continue into JMU’s graduate program straight from its undergraduate school, like Peterson, is only one option for undergraduate students. Other students, like Thomas Carpenter (‘07), have used their WRTC degrees to pursue other graduate programs and fields of study. Carpenter decided to pursue tax law at the University of Pittsburgh after finishing at JMU with a minor in WRTC.

“[Tax law] requires strong research and communication skills along with a fundamental understanding of many legal concepts which coincided with my WRTC and law degrees,” said Carpenter on deciding to go into tax law.

Carpenter, like Peterson, also spoke of the advantages that WRTC had on his graduate school experience and career as an international tax attorney at Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

“Many areas of law, and tax law in particular, are highly technical topics, and WRTC gave me the ability to communicate effectively about those topics both orally and in writing,” said Carpenter

Carpenter claimed two of the most important skills he learned from WRTC were to both present complex topics in an understandable manner and to listen to others speakers and comprehend what they are trying to communicate about their topic as well.

Carpenter also realized the many topics that WRTC can apply to during his studies and was grateful for choosing a WRTC minor.

“WRTC touches on all areas of the law because the law is a client-centered profession. Essentially, a lawyer provides advice to a client less knowledgeable about the subject of the advice and, therefore, that advice must be clear and comprehensive while still being concise,” said Carpenter.

Because of its interdisciplinary nature, Carpenter assured that WRTC skills will be a valuable asset to anyone in any field.

“Regardless of what path is chosen, WRTC students and alumni can be confident that WRTC has given them communication skills that will help them to succeed in whatever career they choose,” stated Carpenter.

Lexia: The New e-Vision

Kathryn Straub (’13)

Do you remember e-Vision? Do you remember seeing flyers saying “write for e-Vision” all over the halls of Harrison? Maybe you wrote for e-Vision? If any of these statements apply to you, then you should know that e-Vision has undergone some exciting new changes.

This year, the student-run journal of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication has made three transitions. The first being the switch in titles; the student editors held a contest for fellow students to submit title suggestions, and they chose Lexia which is simply defined as “reading.”

The second transition was the decision to open submissions to all undergraduate WRTC courses rather than exclusively GWRTC. Lastly, Cynthia Martin is the new adviser for the journal.

“Generally, Lexia looks for pieces that contribute something unique to the fields of writing, rhetoric and technical communication–a text that presents original research or that responds to someone else’s research, a text that experiments with genre or digital media,” said Martin, “More than anything, we want to publish texts that represent the full scope and range of what we teach in WRTC.”

Martin went on to say, “If we are on the fence about a piece, we might ask ourselves if we have something to learn from the piece–if yes, then I’d encourage publication (but ultimately, final decisions are made by student editors, not by me).”

The lead editors read the submissions initially and decide which ones are worth discussing. Then the editorial staff reads the selected submissions and evaluates them. Everyone then meets each week to discuss the submissions and votes yes, no, or maybe.

If they vote yes, a decision is also made whether a revision will be needed or if they will publish the work as is. As for the maybe pile, the staff puts aside pieces that have potential, but aren’t seen as fully publishable without working with the writer first.

The staff of Lexia read and reviewed a total of 63 pieces and those selected will be revealed on the new and improved site up and running April 16. Any alumni that have been published previously in e-Vision should still be able to access their piece through the new website under the ‘Archives’ tab.

Courtney Rutledge, age 23, graduated in 2011 with a concentration in Technical and Scientific Communication (TSC). She currently works as a copy editor at the American Geosciences Institute (AGI), in Fairfax, VA.

Rutledge works with a team that maintains the GeoRef database. This particular database contains geoscience references from all over the world, such as Japan, China, Australia, and Germany, just to name a few. Her position looks at geoscience journal articles, books, maps, conference papers, reports and theses to make sure that the format meets AGIs requirements.

Courtney Rutledge (’11)

She says she was lucky enough to have three internships to put on her resume, including being a former WRTC Alumni Newsletter intern, and she is sure that her previous experience played a role in this opportunity.

Her first internship in the summer of 2010 was with Immerge Technologies; a small business that specializes in creating websites mostly for other small businesses. Rutledge states, “This opportunity was great because it was the first time I worked in an office. Also, since it was smaller, with less than 20 employees, it was less intimidating.”

She goes on to say, “Another great thing about this was the fact that Immerge is owned by a JMU alum. He was always available for questions and gave me a chance to write segments for some of the websites and sit in on client meetings.”

Rutledge’s second internship was in the fall of 2010 with this very newsletter. She worked with a team of two other students and she said it was a great experience, “because it helped me get out of my comfort zone and communicate with professors, alumni, and students I wouldn’t have otherwise met.”

Her final internship before getting hired on with AGI was after graduating in 2011 with the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Rutledge started as an unpaid intern and ended up becoming a part-time Editorial Assistant. “I got to write and edit with the talented group of people who publish the majority of the ADA books. I got to see the publications process in its entirety and was even able to personally edit books as well as index them.”

Professor Cynthia Martin, the current adviser of Lexia, the undergraduate journal of Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication, offered some advice on getting published. These tips not only apply to Lexia, but can be used for getting published in any journal.

“Look closely at the guidelines for publication and follow them; understand how your text ‘fits’ with the journal/publication and sell that in the letter of transmittal,” Martin begins. “Also, sell how your piece contributes something new to the journal,” she continues, find at least one aspect that stands out.

Martin goes on to say, “Don’t be discouraged when you get a rejection–what may not be acceptable to one journal could be the star piece an editor of another journal has been looking for.”.

“I would encourage all writers to find a writing group with whom they can regularly share their writing and receive feedback. Not only will this help improve a piece, but the sense of community build’s confidence and provides great networking opportunities,” concludes Martin.

Martin’s advice doesn’t apply exclusively to JMU’s campus. There are writing groups available in the adult world, too. You can always improve and you have a chance at publication, no matter where you are in life.

Former adviser, Professor Karen McDonnell also offered some advice by saying, “The first and most important piece of advice is to ‘just do it,’ meaning submit! Writers greatly increase their chances of being published by submitting their work for publication.”

McDonnell concluded, “The only pieces Lexia [or any other publication] is guaranteed not to publish are the pieces the editors don’t have the opportunity to read.”

Check out this “Capzule” timeline for all tips!

The story follows the life of Sonja Kent, a young musician who finds herself in an abusive marriage. Sonja struggles to find her voice under the crushing influence of her husband and religious pressures to be a dutiful wife. Meanwhile, she is constantly reminded of how much her husband is like her abusive father and wonders if she will ever escape the hold of these domineering men.

The book is available on Amazon.com in both Kindle and Nook editions.

When applying for a job as a Writing, Rhetoric & Technical Communication graduate, have you ever considered a position in collaborating with United States Defense Industry partners to discuss defense sales abroad, working with the State Department on firearms export control issues or talking to U.S. Embassy personnel in Africa to collaborate resources and help support U.S. foreign policy?

More than likely, you have not.

ROTC Duke Dog

Meet David Marone. He has.

During his time at James Madison University, Marone (’01) had always visualized serving his country through the military in his future endeavors. Attending JMU, however, almost never came to fruition.

“My father was in the Air Force and I almost went to the Air Force Academy Prep School in Colorado Springs,” said Marone.

As a last second decision, the Michigan native decided to attend JMU to pursue higher education. But just because he chose to study at JMU did not mean he was unable to follow in his father’s footsteps.

“I took an ROTC elective my freshmen year, and after seeing a demonstration by the JMU Ranger Group,” explained Marone, “I decided to pursue a military career.”

Marone eventually received a scholarship through the ROTC program and minored in leadership through ROTC.

Since graduating in 2001, Marone has served in the military for over 12 years and currently works as a Middle East and North Africa Foreign Areas Officer for the Pentagon, as well as the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

“My agency facilitates security cooperation and security assistance activities worldwide,” said Marone. “These activities include things such as foreign military sales, financing, international military education and training, along with many other critical U.S. Government Foreign Policy tools.”

Marone’s most recent project has allowed him to embrace and use his ROTC leadership minor dating back to his days on the quad.

“I was brought into an agency five months ago to solely focus on facilitating security cooperation to a post-Qadaffi Libyan Government,” said Marone.

Since then, however, Marone has worked on other African political-military issues including support to the French-led mission in Mali, training and equipping

Algerians to address their struggle against Al Qaida and working with U.S. embassies in Africa to promote democracy, peacekeeping and human rights initiatives in their respective nations.

“On any given day,” Marone stated, ”I may be meeting with U.S. Defense Industry partners to discuss defense sales abroad, working with the State Department on arms export control issues, or talking to U.S. embassy personnel in Africa to help support foreign policies in the region.”

Through his role as a facilitator and liaison of U.S. relations overseas, Marone has seen his WRTC skills aid him in both the most simple and difficult of situations.

“I have briefed Congressional leaders, written intelligence assessments for senior military commanders in Afghanistan, created instructional material for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) partners and have explained the application of complex arms control legislation within the U.S. government interagency,” explained Marone. “I have also written my graduate thesis,” said Marone jokingly. “The education I received from the department [WRTC] was foundational to these tasks and assignments, and continues to serve me well today.”

After his stint in the military, Marone is unsure of where his next career path will take him.

“I really enjoy foreign affairs and would consider a position with Department of State or one of the intelligence agencies. I may also pursue a Ph.D in Political Science or a similar field,” said Marone.

Whether it will someday feature “Agent” or even “Secretary for the Department of State”, David Marone’s resume has opened doors to a vastly successful career, one that first came to existence in the hallways and classrooms of the WRTC program.